The term “Ringworm” is used to describe a disease that is not caused by any worm but by a fungus which is a very minute part of vegetable plant life that grows on the skin. This disease is not as dangerous as it is annoying. It becomes a serious phase only when the skin breaks up due to scratching and this leads to secondary infection.
AREAS OF THE BODY MOSTLY IMPACTED
The most common areas of ringworm infection are the body, the scalp, the nails, and the feet.
Children are more susceptible to ringworm on their scalps because their bodies lack protective fatty acids in that area. These fatty acids are produced in adult life, making the scalps of adults more resistant to ringworms.
Ringworm of the body mostly affects the face and the neck. Ringworm of the feet, also known as ‘athlete’s foot,’ is more common in the summer. This infection spreads from one person to another through swimming pools, bath mats, and bathtubs.
The fungus that causes ringworm grows easily in the moist, warm parts of the body and thrives between the toes. Ringworm infection is passed from an infected person to a healthy one by contact. The use of articles such as towels may also spread it quickly. Often, it is also contracted from domestic pet animals like cats and dogs.
FOODS
The use of skin lotions or ointments for treating ringworm may offer temporary relief, but it does not remove the root cause of this problem. The best approach is to clean the blood and the body. Individuals should first begin with an all-fruit diet for about three to four days. They should take fresh, juicy fruits such as papaya, orange, pineapple, and pomegranate during this period. This helps in eliminating morbid matter from the body and leads to significant improvement. During this period, a warm water enema, if possible, may be administered to cleanse the bowels.
Individuals can, thereafter, switch to a diet of salt-free, raw, or steamed vegetables with whole-meal flatbread and fruits. Nut milk may also be added to the diet after a few days. A normal diet can be resumed by the patient thereafter. More emphasis should be placed on lightly cooked vegetables, fresh fruits, and whole-grain cereals. This diet may be supplemented with yeast, cold-pressed coconut oils, and honey.
Foods such as tea, coffee, white flour products, condiments, flavoured dishes, meat, tinned or bottled foods, and denatured cereals should be avoided by the patient.
MUSTARD AND PAPAYA SEEDS
Certain home remedies have also been found to be effective in the treatment of ringworm. One such is the use of mustard seeds. The skin should first be thoroughly washed with warm water. After that, a paste made from mustard seeds should be externally applied over the area affected by ringworm.
The use of raw papaya has also proved to be very beneficial in the treatment of ringworm. Areas affected should be rubbed twice daily with a few slices of this raw fruit. A paste made from papaya seeds can also be applied to the patches; this is equally effective.
CASTOR OIL AND VEGETABLE JUICES
In cases of ringworm infection of the scalp, the use of castor oil proves to be a very useful remedy. This oil should be rubbed liberally on the affected area. A noticeable improvement will be visible in two to four days. Raw vegetable juices, especially spinach juice in combination with carrot juice, have proved to be very effective, too. A proportion of 200 ml of spinach juice and 300 ml of carrot juice to make a combined 500 ml serving is beneficial for this purpose.
You should drink 10–12 glasses of water daily to flush out the system, and bathe twice each day as well. The skin, with the exception of parts affected by ringworm, should be rubbed vigorously with the palms of the hands before taking a shower. Above all, you should expose yourself to fresh air as much as possible.
Coconut oil proves to be very soothing and softening when applied externally to skin areas affected by ringworm. It helps reduce itchiness and keeps the skin supple. Finally, mud baths and sun baths are the other alternatives that can also be utilised. The early rays of the sun prove to be very effective and are a good source of vitamin D.
Thus, it can be concluded that various natural and home remedies prove to be very beneficial and effective in the treatment and cure of ringworm.
CAUTION
Having presented these remedies (largely extracted from voices.yahoo.com/natural-remedies-curing-ringworm-2722906.html?cat=5), please keep in mind that I am only telling you what my experience has been like and what other people have reported works for them. You may have a different condition altogether, and you may need a different treatment altogether. Do your own research to figure out what is the best option for you; don’t blindly follow my advice or anyone else’s.
Also, sometimes a fungal infection can turn into a secondary bacterial infection, so you may need other treatment for that as well.